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Friday, May 31, 2013

Teams head out onto the pitch to kick off the NW Division campaign this weekend | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

It is a season of change in the division this year, whether it be the increase in the teams, clubs changing their brands or new head coaches at the helm. So, before we get into the nitty-gritty of the teams, let’s take a quick look at those big-story changes across the Northwest Division.

First, the composition of the division has gone from six to eight clubs with the Portland Rain (supported by the MLS Timbers last year) closing up shop for good with the Timbers ownership investing in the NWSL Portland Thorns. In their place, two new clubs, Tualatin Hills United SC and the Westside Timbers, joined up to bring the Oregon group to four. The Washington contingent is also now at four with the addition of AC Seattle, an Italian-focused club.

The new composition brought along with it a new postseason format as there will now be a division playoff. The top two clubs each from Washington and Oregon will move onto the postseason with the playoff event hosted by the higher-seeded Washington side in 2013 and Oregon’s top seed playing host to the division championship in 2014.

Three clubs will have new looks in 2013 to varying degrees. Starting with the smallest change, the Spokane Shine have introduced a new color and logo package this year in a season of change that also includes a new home venue and coach. Issaquah SC will be modifying their name to Seattle Reign FC Reserves presented by Issaquah SC, and are reportedly wearing Reign kits with the ISC logo. The biggest change will be the complete brand overhaul from Oregon Rush to Bend FC Timbers, a change elicited by the club becoming a part of the Timbers Alliance that was made official May 1 with the logo and name change.

Club changes for Spokane and Bend were not just cosmetic. The Shine brought in local youth coach Dan Philp to replace the departed Jason Quintero, who left for a position with Moscow United youth club, and Kyle Steinbaugh, the Director of Coaching, stepping aside from the WPSL responsibilities with the February appointment of new Technical Director Tara Erickson, a University of Washington product that has coached at Portland State and the University of Oregon.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

The Shine in their new white kits make debut at Spokane Falls CC against MFR | Photos: Gerald Barnhart - gallery

The Spokane Shine took to the field under new coach Dan Philp for the first time Tuesday evening at Spokane Falls CC and played to a 2-2 draw with visiting Montana Flathead Rapids just over a week after first coming together at tryout sessions. Midfielder Jaimey Etten proved to be the star of the night with a goal and an assist.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

With the Spokane Shine set to play its first game under new coach Dan Philp Tuesday night (7:00 pm) under the lights at their new Spokane Falls CC home against visiting amateur squad Montana Flathead Rapids, the club has finalized its initial roster for the 2013 campaign.

Five current and former Gonzaga University men’s soccer players are headed toward a pair of head-to-head meetings in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Wednesday, May 29. The matches in the 100th edition of the tournament will see the Seattle Sounders of MLS visiting the second-tier Tampa Bay Rowdies of the NASL and the MLS Houston Dynamo playing host to amateur FC Tucson of the PDL.

It was as busy of a week as you will see in the Lower Divisions all year as every American club, except Phoenix FC, was in action Tuesday night in the Second Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

USL Pro were big winners on the night with eight teams advancing to the Third Round to face MLS opposition this coming Tuesday and Wednesday. Four each from the NASL and the USL PDL also advanced. TheCup.us – Scores & Recaps [+]

Friday, May 24, 2013

GoalWA.net and Inland NW Soccer News are teaming up to cover the all-Washington WPSL matches between the Spokane Shine and the Seattle-area trio of Emerald City FC, Seattle Reign Reserves (Issaquah SC) and AC Seattle and at the end of the season pronounce the team with the best record as Washington Champions. The only problem is, we don't quite know what to call it. For the past month we have bandied about a few ideas - the usual and creative - and have culled the list down to a few.

Now it is your turn to provide further insight as we search for both a name and a 'trophy.' In addition to the poll, we welcome any other suggestions in case we missed something that truly resonates with the competition at hand. More importantly, if anyone has ideas or something to donate as the trophy, we would love to hear or see it.

Monday, May 20, 2013

The weekly edition of the mixed Lower Division power rankings based on results from all competitions, including the US Open Cup which all the American-based NASL and USL Pro teams play in this week - well, except for Phoenix after their upset loss last week.

The complexity of the season kicked up a notch with the introduction of the US Open Cup this week for four of the USL Pro clubs and will continue with the remaining teams from the league and the NASL entering the event on Tuesday against the First Round winners.

Friday, May 17, 2013

With the Spokane Shine about to begin tryout sessions Friday night and Sunday afternoon, the squad is already beginning to come together according to new head coach Dan Philp who shared a list of 14 initial players that are lined up to be on the squad this year, including five returning from last year’s division champions. In addition, INWsoccernews has learned that a trio of other area players have made commitments elsewhere with former standout Shine center back Maggie Schrader moving onto the W-League while Eastern Washington goalkeeper Jamie Walker and Spokane’s Megan Lindsay (Seattle U) are expected to be playing abroad.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Initial report that follows from Jon Arnold special to TheCup.us, where you can find the most expansive coverage of the tournament (which I happen to be assistant editor for)…

Conner Bevans

TUCSON, Ariz. - FC Tucson midfielder Conner Bevans wasn’t sure if he’d play against Phoenix FC on Tuesday night. In the end he proved to be the hero as the team upended their in-state professional rivals, 2-1.

After the team’s weekend draw with the Los Angeles Misioneros, the Gonzaga University man stayed behind to spend time with his grandmother, who is in poor health. Despite the coaching staff’s willingness to let him tend to family matters, Bevans flew in Tuesday morning and was seated on the bench hours later. He entered the match in the 81st minute with his team trailing 1-0.

The 18-year-old midfielder scored two goals, including a stoppage-time winner to lift FC Tucson to a 2-1 victory in the First Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

“I knew we were in a tough spot when I came into the game, and they were bringing me on to change it, so I was looking forward and trying to focus on getting the result for my team,” Bevans said.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Perhaps it should have been an omen when the LA derby between the USL Pro Blues and the Galaxy Reserves finished 4-3 as the week saw a plentitude of goals scored with nine teams scoring at least three goals in the course of a dozen games.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Hans Denissen – San Antonio Scorpions
Trailing Atlanta, Denissen scored the initial equalizer in the 20th minute and then helped set up the go-ahead strike by Edin Husic eight minutes later as the winless Scorpions played to a 2-2 draw.

After five weeks of play one thing is becoming very clear. The NASL is going to come down to the final weekend. Three teams came into the weekend tied for first with one more a point back. After three draws, nothing changed. Ironically, the draws were the first in league play since the opening weekend finished with no winners.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Jordan Allen – RSL Reserves
The RSL-Arizona Academy product came on early to relieve an injured fellow defender and helped keep the Galaxy Reserves off the board in a 1-0 shutout and nearly scored himself on a shot the keeper parried off the post Sunday.